to map the city on a scale not previously seen in the maya area . from 1956 through 1970 , major archaeological excavations were carried out by the university of pennsylvania ti ##kal project . they mapped much of the site and excavated and restored many of the structures . excavations directed by edwin m . shook and later by william coe of the university investigated the north ac ##ropolis and the central plaza from 1957 to 1969 . the ti ##kal project recorded over 200 monuments at the site . in 1979 , the guatemala ##n government began a further archeological project at ti ##kal , which continued through to 1984 . filmmaker george lucas used ti ##kal as a filming location for the first star wars
to map the city on a scale not previously seen in the maya area. from 1956 through 1970, major archaeological excavations were carried out by the university of pennsylvania tikal project. they mapped much of the site and excavated and restored many of the structures. excavations directed by edwin m. shook and later by william coe of the university investigated the north acropolis and the central plaza from 1957 to 1969. the tikal project recorded over 200 monuments at the site. in 1979, the guatemalan government began a further archeological project at tikal, which continued through to 1984. filmmaker george lucas used tikal as a filming location for the first star wars